Community Placemaking at Tin Can Beach by Raevin Leslie L
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FROM TRASH TO TREASURE: COMMUNITY PLACEMAKING AT TIN CAN BEACH BY RAEVIN LESLIE L. BOYD, RYAN JAMES CARROLL, OLAMIDE MARIAM GAFARU, KAYLA MORGAN GALLEY, KIRA DAWN HOWARD, DAISY KANKYA, MATTHEW GEORGE MARTIN, JENNIFER MARIE MOTT, ALEX PEACOCK, ADAM ROBERT SMITH, SAMANTHA AMY SNOW, AND DR. HEPZIBAH MUÑOZ MARTINEZ (SENIOR AUTHOR) ©copyright 2019 Photo of Low Tide and High Tide at Tin Can Beach by Gillian Barfoot From Trash to Treasure: Community Placemaking at Tin Can Beach A report prepared by the students of the course Urbanization, Poverty and Politics, Fall 2013 Department of History and Politics, University of New Brunswick Saint John 1 | P a g e About the project Active learning and community engagement The report is the outcome of an activity learning activity in the political science course Urbanization, Poverty and Politics. The course discusses how the design of the city can enhance or deteriorate the living conditions of residents. The goal of this active learning and project based assignment was to engage students directly with the local community and its social needs and in that way develop the latter’s skills of critical thinking, research and writing in their interaction with real life. Contributors Raevin Leslie L. Boyd Ryan James Carroll Olamide Mariam Gafaru Kayla Morgan Galley Kira Dawn Howard Daisy Kankya Matthew George Martin Jennifer Marie Mott Photo: So Yeon Kim Alex Peacock Adam Robert Smith Samantha Amy Snow 2 | P a g e Aerial Photo of Tin Can Beach by Hepzibah Muñoz Martínez Table of Contents Introduction……………………………………………………………....1 Tin Can Beach and the Community …………….……………….......4 Case studies………………………………………………………….......7 North Bay, Ontario………………………………………………...7 Halifax/Dartmouth, Nova Scotia………………………………...8 Portland, Maine…………………………………………………....8 Placemaking, water and culture………………………………...8 Public space and the Making of places…………………….....9 Public Space, Placemaking and Social Capital ……………………12 Think Tin Can Beach: Recommendations and Impacts………....16 References………………………………………………………………..18 3 | P a g e Introduction Public space is central to facilitating social interaction and enhancing the quality of life in a community. In public space, the community comes together through a process of placemaking so as to naturally use space according to people’s social and physical needs, giving the latter a sense of belonging or “sense of place” (Silbergberg, 2013, 1-6). This is particularly significant for the development of social capital which is the development of tightly knit networks and participation in diverse social milieus. Social capital is crucial for economic development and civic engagement (Putnam 2000). Tin Can Beach is an example of a community space in the making. Tin Can Beach is located south of uptown Saint John, New Brunswick. People from the South End already use it in order to have direct contact with natural surroundings, in other words, the existing wildlife and the Bay of Fundy. It is also the only direct access to the Bay close to the uptown and a residential area with an unobstructed view to Partridge Island. The report argues that Tin Can Beach is an important public space for social bonding and economic development. People in the South End and the uptown core feel connected to the space because it is part of their personal and social history. Community bonding compels people to stay within the area, creating social capital that leads to economic development, urban growth and civic engagement. The space can be used for multiple outdoor activities and events, promoting socioeconomic and cultural diversity in the city. In order to show the importance of Tin Can Beach as a public space, the report presents the results of interviews and ethnographic work in Tin Can Beach and the South End, a neighbourhood in the south part of the city Saint John. It also discusses best practices in other cities and the literature on public space, placemaking and social capital. In the first section, the study includes the voice of the community in Saint John’s South End and the opinion of key informants based on unstructured interviews. The community and key informants support the enhancement of Tin Can beach as a public space defined by the community. In the second section, the report explores best practices in the cities of Halifax, North Bay and Portland in relation to water-based public spaces and placemaking experiences in different parts of the world. This investment in public space has resulted in high levels of social and economic return. In the case of placemaking, the cost effectiveness increases because it requires low levels of investment and it decreases exposure to the instability of the real estate sector in financial markets. The third section reviews the literature on public space, placemaking and social capital, which suggests that investment in public space and pedestrian infrastructure is cost effective. It allows government to save money in areas such as healthcare and social development as public spaces with natural surroundings 1 | P a g e in a priority neighbourhood assist the community with issues of physical and mental health and promote social interactions among people from different backgrounds. The enhancement and protection of public spaces already defined by the community in terms of uses and identity stimulates the economy and creates social bonding. In the last section, the report provides recommendations and addresses the social and economic impact of placemaking at Tin Can beach based on the research findings. 2 | P a g e "I have lived in the South End for about 10 years- that area is a waste of land, I "I have young daughter and if she wants to go to the park I would love to see it be turned in to an have to take her to Rainbow park, it is close, but Tin Can attraction for the community. Maybe a Beach is much closer. There are a lot of people in this area dog park or a place to hold concerts in who have kids and are young, turning that space in to a family the summer, just something to make the part of town safer and fun." park would be ideal.” Leslie Matt "We need street lights and sidewalks, the South "I am not too enthused by End is a high Priority Neighbourhood. We got drug the city- there is a lot of dealers at every second house, kids carry weapons wasted land around here, and antagonize other members of the community, there are no shops that are close by. Our but there are also a lot of community needs a makeover. I would love for that kids around here who get in area to be a destination for families and their kids- to trouble just cause. of all ages, developing a community will give Turning that area in to a everyone who lives here a sense of purpose, and venue for the younger hopefully keep these kids outta trouble!" David population would make our community safer and more "There is a school close by and daycares around " We need street lights and fun for the kids." here- it is mandatory for sidewalks- but I have 3 dogs Nicole the kids to go for a walk and I would love to walk outside, I think it would them down to Tin Can be great if that was Beach and let them run a turned in to a park or "I live deep in the South something for them so round instead of taking the End, I have heard what is they don't have to walk all the way to Rockwood going on down there and I the streets uptown. Make park. A nice sitting area will be honest, I am not it a learning destination under a gazebo maybe and interested in seeing an for them too- about the industrial park in my a couple of BBQs. Just a nice history of that area and multipurpose area where I backyard. I am a runner- Partridge Island. I think why are there not running that would make our can take my dogs and relax. paths, street lights, or community safer- oh and That would be nice." sidewalks down there? Even street lights and Victoria a biking lane! That is sidewalks. They are what I want to see, desperately needed.” instead smog every morning Brent I wake up." Taylor "I would love to see use of the water- a look out to Partridge Island or maybe boat rentals to visit the spot. A summer destination that has a stage for concerts, and food venues. Movies in the park would lovely too. Just turn that spot in to a communal area. That would be nice." Andrea Photo of Tin Can Beach by Gillian Barfoot 3 | P a g e Tin Can Beach and the Community The research team for this report conducted qualitative research to understand the significance of Tin Can Beach for the priority neighbourhood of the South End. Tin Can Beach is already a place appropriated by the community according to their social needs. This qualitative research was done through ethnographic work in the South End and Tin Can Beach, and unstructured open-ended interviews with residents of that neighbourhood. Experts on urban, social and environmental issues were also consulted in order to recognize the potential for placemaking in Tin Can Beach. It is worth noting that the process of formulation of Saint John’s Parks and Recreation plan included a consultation process at Lily Lake Pavillion. The ethnographic work and the unstructured interviews complement the consultation process initiated Play SJ. This research was conducted in a more inclusive manner because the research team was able to have direct contact with residents of the South End that were not able to attend the Play SJ meetings due to lack of information as well as cost and accessibility barriers.